Allright, we're going in circles here to some extent. I don't agree that Payne (and his co-writer Jim Taylor) were being "inconsistent" in writing their complex characters. We don't know for certain that everything works out in the end for Miles. Yes, he's flawed, but who of us isn't? He does have some positive attributes, and I think that's what Maya sees in him. Plus, they've both been through rough times, they have common interests, and so they have some feelings of attraction to each other. Beats being alone. We don't know that they'll stay together forever.

I strongly disagree that "Payne's approach is simple, and there's no hint of depth beyond what we see". Payne's trademark, in my opinion, is creating real characters with "depth" that's hinted at but not always overtly stated. For instance, it's not until near the end of the film that we learn that Miles and Jack are friends because they were freshman year roommates at San Diego State. That in itself speaks volumes about these characters and makes the storyline richer. Should I elaborate?

Manolha Dargis' review in NYT is dead-on perfect, and I like her speculation on possible sources of the backlash against Payne and his films:"In the past, Mr. Payne's critics have accused him of treating his characters with condescension, a puzzling assessment in light of the love he expresses for the comically blighted souls in ''Election'' and ''About Schmidt.'' It's hard to understand the genesis of this discomfort; only that, like ''Sideways,'' these films cut close to the emotional bone and even movie critics can get squirmy when the screen turns into a mirror. "

Exactly. Perhaps the requirements of self-reflection are difficult for those used to the well-honed art of detached observation.